Colorflex nail system

ABSTRACT

An artificial nail color changing system includes three sets of color containing elements, one for every basic color, composed of electromagnets which will repel natural magnets with colored fibers attached to it. The variable degree of deployment of the three sets of colored containing element will create the different hues. An electronic brush will contain a plurality of variable capacitors; their discharge will allow the different degrees of deployment of the color containing elements.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The disclosure generally relates to a set of artificial nails which willchange color according to the user's desire.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Nail manicuring is part and parcel of a woman's grooming routine. Thisis done often as the nail polish is not durable. Some other times thevisit to nail salons is purely motivated by a desire to change the colorof the nails intended to match a certain outfit. Colorflex nail systemwill be durable, and versatile allowing for nail color change at will,hence making it desirable and convenient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The disclosure is generally directed to a set of artificial nails whichwill be adhered to the top of the natural nails. The nails will be madeof very pure plastic to allow the entering of natural light. Inside thenails, the natural light will be focused and directed to colorcontaining elements which will be adjustable. The elements will have thethree basic colors: blue, red and green the relative degree ofdeployment of the three sets of color containing elements will accountsfor the different hues of the nails. The light reflected off the colorcontaining elements will exit the top surface of the nail to give theuser the impression of color in the surface of the nail.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure will now be made, by way of example, with reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a nail which shows three contacts in theunderside of the nail.

FIG. 2 is a superior view of the nail which shows longitudinallydisposed lenses parallel to the longest axis of the nail and the band ofcolor containing elements in the periphery of the nail.

FIG. 3 is a lateral view of a longitudinal cut of the nail.

FIG. 4 represents a front view of a transverse cut of the nail, showingthe color containing elements, the fiber optic sheath and thelongitudinal lenses.

FIG. 5 is a detail of the front view's transverse cut, showing the fiberoptic sheath and the color containing elements.

FIG. 6 is a lateral and superior view of the color containing elements.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a color containing element.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the electronic brush: a piece ofequipment separate from the nails which will actuate the color change inthe nails. To the right there is a detail frontal view of the electronicbrush showing the slots for the different size nails.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a slot for the nail, including a sensorfor water detection in the form of a slit recessing down from the floorof the nail slot.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a tuner which will reside inside theelectronic brush. Three of many variable capacitors are also depicted.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view of the circuitry inside the electronic brushand the nails.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and isnot intended to limit the described embodiments or the application anduses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary”or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, orillustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or“illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred oradvantageous over other implementations. All of the implementationsdescribed below are exemplary implementations provided to enable personsskilled in the art to implement the disclosure and are not intended tolimit the scope of the claims. Furthermore, there is no intention to bebound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the precedingtechnical field, background, brief summary or the following detaileddescription.

As shown in FIG. 1. There are three sets of contacts 1 in the undersideof the artificial nail, under the corners of the nails. These contactswill couple the electronics in the nails with the electronics in thebrush which will deliver the power for the color containing elements todeploy.

As shown in FIG. 2. A superior view of the nail shows longitudinallydisposed convex lenses 2 which will concentrate the light onto astructure which will redirect the light to the color containing elementson the band represented in this figure by 3.

As shown in FIG. 3. The body of a nail has been cut along its longestaxis and is being viewed from the side to show the top surface of thenail 4 which will be a partially reflective mirror, the reflectivecoating facing the inside of the nail and at the bottom of the body ofthe nail the fiber optic sheath with a top 5 and bottom 6 surfaces. Thetop surface of the fiber optic sheath 5 will be composed of an opaquelayer in between two complete mirrors the one on top reflecting lightinto the body of the nail and the bottom one, reflecting light into theinside of the fiber optic sheath. The bottom surface 6 of the fiberoptic sheath will also reflect light into the inside of the fiber opticsheath.

As shown in FIG. 4. The body of a nail has been cut along it transverseaxis and it shows the top surface of the nail 4, the longitudinallydisposed convex lenses 2, the top and bottom surfaces 5 and 6,respectively of the fiber optic sheath, a plurality of openings in thetop surface of the fiber optic sheath 7 upon which the light is beingconcentrated by the longitudinally disposed convex lenses 2. Smallridges 8 also longitudinally disposed and aligned with the openings 7and the lenses 2, on the bottom layer of the fiber optic sheath whichwill reflect light inside and to the sides of the fiber optic sheath andonto the color containing elements on the color containing band 3 arealso depicted.

As shown in FIG. 5 a detail of the transverse cut of the nail is shown,more particularly a detail of one of the lateral edges of the nailshowing the color containing band 3 the surface of'which will also be atotal mirror, the top surface of the nail 4, the top 5 and bottom 6surfaces of the fiber optic sheath. The color containing elements, inparticular the natural magnets 10 inside the cylinders 15 and thecolored fibers 13. The space 9 into which the color containing elementswill deploy its colored fibers 13. The interface 11 between the fiberoptic sheath and the body of the nail and a schematic representation ofa ray of light 12, traveling through the fiber optic sheath, beingrefracted in the interface 11, reflected in the partially reflectivemirror 4, which is the top surface of the nail, on through the interfacebetween the body of the nail and the space 9 and finally onto the colorfibers 13 reflecting from them back into the body of the nail. Thediscontinuous lines represent the fraction of the ray of light which isreflected back when the ray traverses any interface.

As shown in FIG. 6, a lateral and superior views of the color containingelements is shown, where the permanent magnet is represented by 10 thecylinder 15 will allow the permanent magnet slide up and down.Electromagnets 14 wrapped around the cylinders 15 will repel the naturalmagnets, making them protrude out of the cylinder, deploying de coloredfibers 13 or will attract them down to the bottom of the cylinders 15according to the direction of the electricity flowing through theelectromagnets, when the color containing elements are reset. Thecylinders 15 recess down in the body of the color containing band 3.

As shown in FIG. 7 a perspective view of a color containing element isshown. Again the permanent magnet 10, the electromagnets 14, thecylinder 15, the colored fibers 13 and the body of the color containingband 3 are shown. Please notice that one end of the colored fibers 13 isattached to the top aspect of the natural magnet 10, and the other endto the edge on the openings of the cylinders 15, in the color containingband.

FIG. 8 represents a perspective view of the exterior appearance of theelectronic brush, where. A rotating color selector 16 will allow theuser to indicate her color preference. The on button 20 will startpowering the electronic brush. A sliding switch 19 will deliver thecolor or reset the nails to blank before the next color application. Inphantom view to the top right there is a representation of one of thenail slots 17 and to the inner end of this is a water sensor 18 in theform of a slit. A frontal view of the electronic brush is visible to theright showing the nail slots 17.

As shown in FIG. 9, a perspective view of a nail slot 17 is depicted. Tothe right there is a water sensor 18, depicted recessing down from thefloor of the nail slot 17. The lateral walls 26 of this water sensor inthe form of a slit are electrodes in a circuit 28-only two conductorsare depicted here. A resistance 27 traverses the floor of the watersensor.

As shown in FIG. 10, a perspective view of a tuner is depicted with anexterior cylinder 23 housing an inner cylinder 22. A set of plates ofvariable capacitors 21 are fixed to the inner surface of the exteriorcylinder 23, the other set of plates move with the inner cylinder 22when the color selection is made by rotating the color selector a knob24, is also fixed to the inner cylinder. Please notice that rotating thecolor selector will change the position of the inner cylinder 22, theknob 24 and the position of one of the plates of the variable capacitorsattached to it. The knob 24 will press upon one of multiple switches 25closing a circuit that will allow passage of electricity from thebattery only to a set of three variables capacitor brought to the rightdistance and degree of overlapping by the movement of the color selector16.

As show in FIG. 11, a schematic representation of the circuitry insidethe electronic brush and the nail is depicted. The battery 31 providespower to a circuit closed by the switch 25. This circuit is unique forevery color in the color selector 16 (FIG. 8) and will provide power tothe base in the transistors 37 which will hence allow power into thethree specific variable capacitors, one for every basic color, when theswitch 20 is closed. When the voltage across the plates of the capacitoris sufficient to overcome the resistance in resistor 36, electricitywill flow through the light bulb 35 and will make it shine through theselected color in the color selector 16, which will alert the user thesystem is ready to deliver power and color to the nails. When the userslides the switch 19 to the color position, electricity flows throughelectromagnet 34 which will attract a ferromagnetic element in theswitch 20 to open it. This will stop passage of electricity from thebattery to the variable capacitors 32. Switch 19 will also connect thevariable capacitor to the electromagnets 14 wrapped around the cylinder15. A smaller circuit is depicted in the center and to the right whichwill power the water sensor. When water bridges the vertical walls orelectrodes 26 in the water sensor in the form of a slit, the circuit isclosed and electromagnet 29 opens witch 33 disabling the system.Resistor 27 will heat the floor of the water sensor and will make thewater evaporate and escape to the exterior through the nail slot; thiswill once again break this circuit, the witch 33 will go back to itsnormally closed position which will once again enable the system foruse. This safety feature will prevent water to short the system. Atemporary contact between the circuitry in the electronic brush and thatof the nails is represented by 1. When the nails are brought into thenail slot the three sets of contacts at each side of the nail and thewhich will allow passage of electricity to the selected set ofcapacitors and the electromagnets powering the color containing elementsof the nails. There is also the circuit of the water sensor, the slidingswitch, the temporary contact between the circuitry of the electronicbrush and that of the nails and a small light bulb.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The user will present the artificial nail onto the top surface of thenatural nail and apply certain degree of pressure; this should activatethe glue in the underside of the artificial nail. This glue shoulddissolve easily in a certain solvent to allow for detachment and laterreattachment of the artificial nail after the natural nail has been cutor filed to a comfortable length, such feature will solve the problem ofthe gap that develops when the natural nail grows carrying with it theartificial nail.

Starting with a reset system, the user will select a color by turningthe color selector 16, (FIG. 8) until the pointer lays over the desiredcolor, then she will insert the nail in the right size nail slot 17,(FIG. 8) and press the on button 20, (FIG. 8). Rotating the colorselector will also result in the rotation of the inner cylinder 22,(FIG. 10) of the tuner, the movable plates 21 of the variable capacitorsattached to it, and that of the knob which will put pressure onto one ofthe switches 25, (FIGS. 10 and 11) that will close the circuit with thetransistors 37. The precise positioning of the movable plates of thevariable capacitors will result in a specific distance between the twoplates and a specific degree of overlapping between them. This, in turnwill result in a specific capacitance and amount of electricity storedbetween the two plates. This circuit just closed by the knob is colorspecific and will provide electricity to only three transistors 37 whichwill allow passage of power from the battery 31 to three specificcapacitors, one for every basic color, the ones with the selectedcapacitance as described above.

When the voltage across the plates of one of these capacitors issufficient to overcome the resistance of a resistor 36, (FIG. 11) inanother area of the circuit, electricity will flow through a small lightbulb 35, the light of which will shine through the selected color in thecolor selector 16, (FIG. 8) and will indicate to the user the electronicbrush is ready to actuate the color change.

The user will then slide a different switch 19, (FIG. 8) to the colorposition; this action will open, by means of an electromagnet 34, (FIG.11) the circuit bringing power to the capacitors 32, (FIG. 11) and atthe same time close another circuit that will connect the variablecapacitors with the small electromagnets 14 surrounding natural magnetsin the color containing elements. Since the amount of power stored inthe variable capacitors is specific and connected to a color specificset of color containing elements it will actuate a certain degree ofdeployment of the colored fibers 13, (FIGS. 5, 6, 7) in the colorcontaining elements. The power in the capacitor connected to the redcolored fibers will cause them to deploy a certain degree. The power ofthe capacitor connected to the green colored fibers will cause them todeploy a different degree and the same with the power coming from thecapacitor connected to the blue colored fibers. The different degrees ofdeployment of the three basic colored fibers 13 will create the selectedhue when the natural light is partially absorbed and reflected off thecolored fibers.

The light coming from the colored fibers 13 will be reflected multipletimes inside the body of the nail bouncing off the totally reflectingtop surface of the fiber optic sheath 5, (FIGS. 3 and 5) and thepartially reflective inner surface of the top surface of the nail 4,(FIGS. 3, 4, 5). Since this layer is partially reflective some of thelight will escape to the ambient reaching the users eyes, eliciting theperception of color.

Resetting the system will be accomplished by sliding the switch 19 (FIG.8) to the reset position, this action will connect the electromagnets 14in the color containing elements directly to the battery 31, since thepolarity of this circuit is opposite to that of the circuit containingthe variable capacitors it will cause the natural magnets 10, (FIGS. 5,6 and 7) to be attracted all the way into the cylinders 15 recessinginto the body of the color containing band 3, (FIGS. 2, 4, 5) since allthe colored fibers 13 have now the same diameter the impression of colorwill be white and the system will be reset.

The natural magnet 10 in the color containing element should fit snugglyinto the cylinder 15 that support them. It would be necessary underthese circumstances for there to be some kind of lubricant between them.The degree of contact between the natural magnets and the cylindersshould be precise since a balance between the degree of friction betweenthem and the repulsion created by the electromagnet in the naturalmagnet is paramount to attain the right amount of deployment of thecolored fibers for a certain capacitance in the variable capacitors.

The natural magnet 10 will move vertically between two extremepositions. When the system is reset, they will stop at the bottom of thecylinders 15 recessing into the body of the color containing band 3 andwhen they are fully deployed they will be stopped by the boundarybetween the body of the nail and the space 9, (FIG. 5) between this bodyand that of the color containing band 3.

The ambient light is focused by the longitudinally disposed lenses 2,(FIG. 2) in the body of the nail onto the also longitudinally disposedopenings 7, (FIG. 4) in the fiber optic sheath and helped by the curvedsurface of the longitudinally disposed ridges 8, (FIG. 4) the light isredirected inside the fiber optic sheath and towards the periphery ofthe nail where the color containing band 3, resides.

The colored fibers 13, (FIGS. 5, 6, 7) should be made of a springilymaterial as to allow for the fibers to deploy in a curve when thenatural magnet is repelled out of the cylinders 15 by the electromagnets14. Please notice that only a few colored fibers 13, (FIG. 7) aredepicted for clarity, in reality there will be many colored fibers as toallow for the formation of a circle when the colored fibers 13, (FIG. 6)are viewed from above. The fully deployed colored fibers will have anapproximate diameter of 0.5 millimeters, and the curved shape of thecolor containing band 3, (FIG. 5) will allow for more room for the colorcontaining elements. When one of sets of the basic colored fibers is notfully deployed the totally reflective surface of the colored band 3 willallow for reflection of the color in the colored fibers preventing theappearance of a gap between the color containing elements.

1. An artificial nails color changing system, comprising three sets ofcontacts in the underside of the artificial nails.
 2. The system ofclaim 1 further comprising longitudinally disposed convex lenses and acolor containing band.
 3. The system of claim 2 further comprising thetop surface of the nail which is a partially reflective mirror and afiber optic sheath in the lower aspect of the nail, the top surface ofthis sheath will contain an opaque layer covered on both sides by atotally reflective coating, the bottom surface of the fiber optic sheathwill also be a totally reflective mirror.
 4. The system of claim 3further comprising longitudinally disposed openings in the top surfaceof the fiber optic sheath, aligned with the longitudinally disposedconvex lenses and longitudinally disposed ridges on the bottom surfaceof fiber optic sheath.
 5. The system of claim 4 further comprising thecolor containing elements with the colored fibers attached to a naturalmagnet sliding up and down a cylinder embedded in the body of the colorcontaining band. The color containing elements deploy in a space betweenthe body of the nail and the color containing band.
 6. An electronicbrush, comprising a color selector, on and off button, a sliding switchwith three possible positions for color delivery, resetting and neutraland different size slots to place the nails.
 7. The system of claim 6,further comprising a water sensor in the form of a rectangular slitrecessing down from the floor of the nail slot, the vertical walls ofwhich being contacts in a circuit which will disable the system if wateris detected. A resistor traversing the floor of the detector will hitit, evaporating the water and again, enabling the system.
 8. The systemof claim 7, further comprising a tuner with an exterior cylinder housingan interior cylinder, the interior cylinder has the movable plates of aplurality of variable capacitors affixed to it. The fixed plates of thevariable capacitors are in turn affixed to the inner surface of theexterior cylinder and a knob also affixed to the interior cylinder toclose one of multiple switches
 9. The circuitry of the electronic brushand the nails, further comprising a plurality of variable capacitors, aplurality of transistors.